Structuralist Studies in Arabic Linguistics

Containing Charles Ferguson's papers on Arabic linguistics, this volume addresses issues of continuing concern in phonology, syntax, historical linguistics, and sociolinguistics.The introduction provides a biographical sketch, including excerpts from interviews with Ferguson in which he discusses his career and dealings with Arabic. A critical overview precedes each of the four sections (Diachronica, Phonology, Register and Genre, and General).This work fills an important gap in the history of linguistics in documenting much of the career and contributions of a formative figure in American linguistics. In addition to updating Ferguson's articles, the volume preserves Ferguson's reflections on the events, personalities, relationships, and issues at the time he wrote the articles, as well as on subsequent developments. A unique and fascinating picture of a pioneer linguist.

'on ne saurait trop recommander aux arabisants, linguistes et, plus encore, non linguistes, le lecture des écrits de Ferguson sur l'arabe; elle est décrassante et salutaire.' Pierre Larcher, Arabica, 1998. 'This volume can be used with profit as a textbook for courses in Arabic linguistics or Arabic dialectology.' Alan S. Kaye, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1999. 'Die Arabistik hat Ferguson, dessen Horizont weit über dieses Fach reichte, viel zu verdanken. Viele seiner Aufsätze gehören zur Pflichtlektüre jedes Arabistem, wie z.B. die drei 1959 erschienenen Aufsätze "Diglossia", "Myths about Arabic" und "The Arabic koine". Die meisten seiner Studien zur arabischen Linguistik in diesem Band versammelt zu finden, ist daher eine überaus erfreuliche Überraschung, für die den Herausgebern uneingeschränkter Dank gebührt.' Hartmut Bobzin, Zeitschrift für Arabische Linguistik, 1999.

R. Kirk Belnap, Ph.D. (1991), University of Pennsylvania, is Assistant Professor of Arabic at Brigham Young University and Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic. He has published on Arabic agreement variation and the history of Arabic.Niloofar Haeri, Ph.D. (1991), University of Pennsylvania, is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University. Her many publications on Arabic sociolinguistics include The Sociolinguistic Market of Cairo: Gender, Class, and Education (Kegan Paul, 1996).